Giving metacam before a vets appointment?

I have recently read a number of threads where owners have stated that they have given their rabbit metacam when they are unwell in advance of the vets appointment. I was just wondering what people's views are on this.

Personally I never give pain relief before a vets appointment for two reasons. Firstly, giving pain meds before getting a diagnosis may cover up symptoms when the vet is giving bunny a health check so may not end up giving an accurate diagnosis. Secondly, if the bunny has already had metacam then the vet wont be able to give a larger dose if it is needed quite so easily.

In fact if we have a bunny on routine metacam for something like arthritis or dental issues and they are either unwell or are booked in for surgery we don't give that mornings dose so the vet can give the appropriate dose later that morning.

I know there is then a risk of bunny being in pain for an hour or two longer but I would rather that than a vet miss a crucial symptom because it has been masked by pain relief.

I am not pointing a finger at anyone in particular, just interested in others opinions

I would do the same as you Liz. Unless I'd already given the day's metacam and then had an emergency appointment which I could not foresee.

Mackers said:

I would do the same as you Liz. Unless I'd already given the day's metacam and then had an emergency appointment which I could not foresee.

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Obviously we can't be mind readers :lol: If a bunny had a routine dose in the morning then got ill later in the day i would hope that dose wouldn't affect the situation too much

Hugo's There said:

Obviously we can't be mind readers :lol: If a bunny had a routine dose in the morning then got ill later in the day i would hope that dose wouldn't affect the situation too much

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Life would be SO much easier if we were!

Mackers said:

Life would be SO much easier if we were!

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Tell me about it! :lol:

I wouldn't give them anything until I'd seen the vet, when Nibbles was poorly he had two pain relief injections at the appointment. I imagine if I'd given him anything beforehand it would've buggered things up! That and they might not have known what was wrong.

bisc and matt are on daily metacam long term anyway. i always take a note with me if they have to stay stating when they had the last dose and how much so the vets can calculate any new doses if they need more.

not sure what i would do if they weren't on metacam anyway though. i wouldn't want to leave them in pain but i also wouldn't want to mess up a proper diagnosis. :?

if it was a condition they had flare ups of, and i knew what it was (for example, bisc gets tummy issues and once the vet was sure we recognised the symptoms and the symptoms were the same every time, then we were allowed to keep meds for him at home) then i would probably get them started on metacam at the first signs before going to the vet if needed. :wave:

eta: just realised i didn't write that in a past tense for matt.

I dont think there can be a definite 'yes' or 'no' answer

Depends on the individual circumstances

Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont !!

Jack's-Jane said:

I dont think there can be a definite 'yes' or 'no' answer

Depends on the individual circumstances

Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont !!

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same here :wave: and the vets know I have the medication anyway and are happy for me to have some in, and I always tell them if ive ever given anything before the app

biscandmatt1 said:

bisc and matt are on daily metacam long term anyway. i always take a note with me if they have to stay stating when they had the last dose and how much so the vets can calculate any new doses if they need more.

not sure what i would do if they weren't on metacam anyway though. i wouldn't want to leave them in pain but i also wouldn't want to mess up a proper diagnosis. :?

if it was a condition they had flare ups of, and i knew what it was (for example, bisc gets tummy issues and once the vet was sure we recognised the symptoms and the symptoms were the same every time, then we were allowed to keep meds for him at home) then i would probably get them started on metacam at the first signs before going to the vet if needed. :wave:

eta: just realised i didn't write that in a past tense for matt.

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When a rabbit has a condition that can cause flare ups and the vet has agreed for you to have meds at home to try then that is a different situation altogether. Obviously then you would try the meds first, then if they didn't work take bunny to vets and list what has been already given

I was talking about a situation where bunny was ill, not eating etc and it was completely out of character

If I felt that the animal was in sufficient pain to warrant me giving immediate pain relief, I would be packing them in the car and taking them to the vets straight away regardless of whether they had any appointments or not! The vet can then examine thoroughly and medicate as they see fit, without having to be limited in the response they get from the animal due to the pain relief and potentially limited in what drugs (e.g. steroids) or further dose they can give.

There will be an exception to every rule of course, especially if it's a recurring condition and metacam has been prescribed as part of normal treatment, but normally no I wouldn't give it in advance of the vet seeing an animal. I think the one time I have done it was for an eye ulcer because I knew what had caused it, I knew it would be painful, I knew that it wouldn't impact on her examination and I knew she would prescribe me metacam for it anyway, so in that situation I was happy to give the metacam and wait for a normal appointment. But it really is the exception rather than the rule.

I would be wary of giving anything before seeing the vets as I don't know enough about possible drug interactions, and as such wouldn't want to prevent the vets being able to administer suitable treatment.

Hugo's There said:

When a rabbit has a condition that can cause flare ups and the vet has agreed for you to have meds at home to try then that is a different situation altogether. Obviously then you would try the meds first, then if they didn't work take bunny to vets and list what has been already given

I was talking about a situation where bunny was ill, not eating etc and it was completely out of character

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ah ok. i probably wouldn't in that situation then. if they were in pain i would go to the vets as soon as possible. :wave:

biscandmatt1 said:

ah ok. i probably wouldn't in that situation then. if they were in pain i would go to the vets as soon as possible. :wave:

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Sorry I should have made it clearer. I was referring to needing a diagnosis so it made sense to me :lol:

Hugo's There said:

I was talking about a situation where bunny was ill, not eating etc and it was completely out of character

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In that situation, no I wouldn't, I'd put bunny straight into the carrier and get to the vets. If the bun was that unwell that I felt it needed immediate pain relief, then oral pain relief probably wouldn't work anyway so it would be at best pointless and at worst unhelpful.

I always phone and ask the vet first.

That's great if you can speak to a vet straight away. At our practice it would be quicker to get an appointment and speak to the vet directly in the consult as they only do phone calls after consults and surgeries are finished

Do people who have well bunnies keep metacam on hand? I never did and wouldn't have ever used it before speaking to a vet. Doughnut's been on it for 9 months now but beforehand I would never have medicated her before a consultation.